Reversible ratchet wrench



Feb. 15, 1955 s o 2,701,977

REVERSIBLE RATCHET WRENCH Filed May 7, 1953 FIG.

1 NTOR. ARTHUR P. TONE ATTORNEY REVERSIBLE RATCHET WRENCH Arthur P.Stone, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The Wright Tool and Forge Company,Barherton, Ohio, at corporation of Ohio Application May. 7, 1953, SerialNo. 353,476 4 Claims. (Cl. 81-633) This invention relates to areversible ratchet wrench.

One object of the present invention is to provide a reversible ratchetwrench having a minimum of parts, including three major parts, only twoof which are relatively movable with respect to the third.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ratchet wrenchwhich by reason of an extremely simple construction and arrangement'ofparts is unusually economical to manufacture, particularly in smallersizes thereof, and yet which is strong in proportion to its size, andwhich .is reliable because the reversing mechanism cannot readily heaccidentally reversed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tool of thecharacter described wherein the re versing mechanism includes meshing oftoothed parts supplemented by a wedging action, and in which eifectivelocking of the parts in either of two oppositely operable positions isnot materially affected by play between the relatively movable partscaused by wear during long continued use of the wrench.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following briefdescription and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a ratchet wrench embodying the featuresof the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged edge view of the wrench, as viewed toward thelower edge of Figure l at the head end of the tool, a portion of thewrench handle being broken away. v

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 2, on the same scale, partlybroken away and in section.

Figure 4 is a cross-section on the same enlarged scale, takensubstantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view substantially the same as Figure 3, but illustratingthe manner in which the movable parts are wedgingly locked in one of tworeversibly operated positions, even though substantial play has resultedfrom wear on the parts.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the numeraldesignates a ratchet wrench of the type used for turning a wrench socketor like turning tool of known type having a squared recess at one endand a nut or other work-engaging recess in the other end of the same.The wrench has a headportion or enlargement 11 integrally formed at oneend of an elongated turning handle 12 The head 11 may have a smoothlycylindrical bore 13 'therethrough between parallel flat sides 14 and 15thereof, an axis of said bore lying within a plane extendingtransversely of said head and includinga longitudinal axis of saidhandle. Rotatably received in said bore 13 may be a generallycylindrical shank 16 having an enlarged head 17 at one end providing anannular stop shoulder 18, for rotatably seating on the fiat side 14 ofthe head, the opposite end portion 20 of the shank protruding freelybeyond the opposite flat side 15 of the head, and having an annulargroove 19 therein which has releasably received in the same a springretaining ring 21 in stop engagement with the said side 15 at the edgeof the bore 13. Thus, the shank 16 is rotatably received in bore 13 andretained against axial movement therein by head 17 and the ring 21 atopposite sides of the wrench head. A reduced extension 22 from the endportion 20 of the shank may be of squared cross-section and providedwith a spring-pressed ball 23 for releasable non-rotative reception in acorrespondingly shaped recess of a wrench socket 24 (see Figure 4).Short lengths 25, 25 of shank 16, at opposite ends of the bore 13, aresmoothly cylindrical to provide requisite rotatable bearing engagementin said bore, the remaining substantial length of the shank within thebore being provided with peripherally spaced teeth or serrations 26, foruse in a reversing mechanism to be described.

Extending between laterally opposite side edges of the wrench head 11,on an axis at right angles or normal to said transversely extendingplane through the axis of said shank, may be a cylindrical aperture orplunger bore 27, within which is slidably received a cylindrical plunger28, a substantial peripheral area of said toothed portion 26 of theshank being exposed within said plunger bore 27. One side of the plunger28 adjacent the shank is recessed at 29 to define axially or laterallyspaced shoulder portions 30 and 30a which are toothed as shown forselective complemental meshing with the toothed portion 26 of the shankpresented within plunger bore 13, at points on opposite sides of saidtransverse plane, the plunger being of such length with respect to theextent of bore 27 thereof, whereby one end or the other protrudessufliciently from the bore to be manually engageable by the end of afinger to slide the plunger to an opposite or reversed position in whichthe other toothed shoulder is meshed with the shank teeth 26. Theplunger 28 and the bore 27 may be of square crosssection, if desired. I

For releasably locking plunger 28 in either of the two oppositelymeshing positions described, the side. of the plunger opposite therecess 29 is also recessed to define an outwardly tapered centralprotuberance 29a, providing oppositely inclined cam faces 31, 31aengageable by a spring-pressed ball 32. This arrangement is such thatupon turning the handle 12 in counter-clockwise direction, as indicatedby an arrow in Figure 3, while the shank is held or retarded by actionthereof on work to be turned in corresponding direction, the plungeris'yieldingly retained with the teeth of either one of the plungershoulders 30, 30a meshed with the toothed shank portion 26 at a point ona corresponding side of the wrench center line. The resultant lockingaction is enhanced by tendency of the plunger to become wedged in aninwardly tapering space defined between the toothed shank portion 26 andan oppositely disposed wall portion of the bore 27 (see Figure 3). Uponturning handle 12 in the opposite or clockwise direction while the partsare in the same relative positions shown in Figures 3 and 4, and whilethe shank 16 is similarly held or retarded, the toothed shoulder portion30 will click past the teeth of the shank against the yielding action ofthe spring-pressed ball 32, thereby allowing the wrench head 11 to bereversely turned relatively of the shank and without turning action onthe work. Conversely, work may be turned in the opposite direction bydepressing the plunger 28 until the toothed shoulder 30a engages thetoothed shank portion 26, in which position it will be retained by theball 32 yieldingly engaging the opposite cam face 31a of camprotuberance 29a over which the ball rides upon depressing the plunger.

In operation of the improved wrench, as for loosening work such as a nutor bolt head (not shown), a wrench socket 24 of proper size applied tothe squared protuberance 22 on shank 16, as shown in Figure 4, isengaged over the work in known manner,- the plunger 28 being locked inthe tooth-engaging position shownin Figure 3 by the spring-pressed ball32 (see also Figure 4). By alternately operating handle 12 incounterclockwise and clockwise directions the teeth will becorrespondingly alternately engaged and disengaged to turn the shank andthe work in counter-clockwise direction only. Similarly, the tool may beeasily adjusted to tighten a nut or bolt, by simply depressing plunger28 until the toothed shoulder 30a is locked in meshing engagement withthe toothed shank portion 26, by ball 32 yieldingly engaging the camface 31a.

Figure 5 illustrates a distinct advantage in that although the parts maybecome quite loose, due to substantial wear in use, the locking actionremains positive so long be sufiicient supplementary wedging actionbetween the plunger 24, shank 16 and head 11, as previously de-'scribed, to provide driving action for loosening or tightening the work.

.Obviously, this simple three part wrench may be made very economically,prinTarily because said parts may be manufactured in large scaleproduction with maximum use of automatic machinery and because the partsare adapted to be easily assembled without use of precision equipment orparticularly skilled labor. Moreover, the improved construction lendsitself to economical production of small but sturdy and eflicientwrenches, as for example for use with so-called quarter inch drivesockets wrenches.

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A reversible ratchet wrench comprising a head having an openingtherein providing cylindrical bearing relatively rotatable in saidbearing portions about said 1 axis, said head having an apertureextending therethrough laterally of said plane at an angle to the sameandin spaced relation to said axis, thereby exposing a substantialperipheral area of the shank within said aperture, a plunger shiftablyreceived in said aperture and having axially spaced non-slip grippingportions and said shank having gripping portions complementallyengageable thereby at points within said exposed peripheral area,yielding stop means for retaining said plunger in gripping position withone or other of said gripping portions thereof engaging said grippingportions of the shank to prevent relative rotation of the shank in oneor other of corresponding directions with respect to said head, andmeans for manually shifting said plunger into either of said grippingpositions.

2. A reversible ratchet wrench comprising a head having an openingtherein providing cylindrical bearing,

portions and having a turning member thereon, an axis of said openingbeing in a plane transversely of the head, a shank having a work-turningend portion, retaining means for maintaining said shank in said openingto be relatively rotatable in said bearing portions about said axis,said shank having peripherally spaced teeth along a portion of a lengththereof within said opening, said head having an aperture extendingtherethrough laterally of said plane at an angle to the same and inspaced relation to said axis, thereby exposing a substantial peripheralarea of said toothed portion of the shank within said aperture, aplunger axially slidably received in said aperture and having axiallyspaced toothed portions selectively engageable with said exposed toothedportion in laterally opposite directions by axial sliding of theplunger. yieldingly releasable detent means on said plunger and head foryieldingly retaining the plunger in either of the opposite toothengaging positions thereof with respect to the exposed shank teeth toprevent relative rotation of the shank in corresponding direction, saidplunger having opposite end portions manually engageable at laterallyopposite sides of said head for shifting the plunger in said laterallyopposite directions against said yieldingly releasable detent means.

3. A reversible ratchet wrench comprising a head having an openingtherein providing cylindrical bearing portions and having a turningmember thereon, an axis of said opening being in a plane transversely ofthe head,

till

a shank having a work-turning end portion, retaining means formaintaining said shank in said opening to be relatively rotatable insaid bearing portions about said axis, said shank having peripherallyspaced teeth along a portion of a length thereof within said opening,said head having a bore extending therethrough laterally of said planeat an angle to the same and in spaced relation to said axis, therebyexposing a substantial peripheral area of said toothed portion of theshank within said bore, a plunger axially slidably received in saidaperture and having axially spaced toothed portions selectivelyengageable with said exposed toothed portion in laterally oppositedirections by axial sliding of the plunger, yieldingly releasable detentmeans on said plunger and head for yieldingly retaining the plunger ineither of the opposite tooth engaging positions thereof with respect tothe exposed shank teeth to prevent relative rotation of the shank incorresponding direction, said plunger having opposite end portionsselectively manually engageable at laterally opposite sides of said headfor shifting the plunger in said laterally opposite directions againstsaid yieldingly releasable detent means, said detent means including aspring-pressed ball mounted in said head and a cam portion on saidplunger engageable thereby.

' 4. A reversible ratchet wrench comprising a head having an openingtherein providing cylindrical bearing portions and having a turningmember thereon, an axis of said opening being in a plane transversely ofthe head, a shank having a work-turning end portion, retaining means formaintaining said shank in said opening to be relatively rotatable insaid bearing portions about said axis, said shank having peripherallyspaced teeth along a portion of a length thereof within said opening,said head having a bore extending therethrough laterally of said planeat an angle to the same and in spaced relation to said axis, therebyexposing a substantial peripheral area of said toothed portion of theshank within said bore, a plunger axially slidably received in saidaperture and having axially spaced toothed portions selectivelyengageable with said exposed toothed portion in laterally oppositedirections by axial sliding of the plunger, yieldingly releasable detentmeans on said plunger and head for yieldingly retaining the plunger ineither of the opposite tooth engaging positions thereof with respect tothe exposed shank teeth to prevent relative rotation of the shank incorresponding direction, said plunger having opposite end portionsselectively manually engageable at laterally opposite sides of said headfor shifting the plunger in said laterally opposite directions againstsaid yieldingly releasable detent means, said detent means including aspring-pressed ball mounted in said head and a cam portion on saidplunger engageable thereby, said cam portion of the plunger being at theside of the plunger opposite to said spaced toothed portions andincluding a central protuberance presenting laterally opposite inclinedfaces yieldingly engageable by said ball in the respective said toothengaging positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS488,691 Goodell Dec. 27, 1892 867,201 Kautfman Sept. 24, 1907 878,657Munch Feb. 11, 1908 2,126,843 Lintera et al. Aug. 16, 1938 FOREIGNPATENTS 124,763 Sweden Feb. 19, 1946

